


That Call

by orphan_account



Series: ‘Til Death Do Us Part [1]
Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Character Death, Chicago Blackhawks, Death, Established Relationship, Grief/Mourning, Kids, M/M, Overdosing, Pain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-23
Updated: 2013-07-23
Packaged: 2017-12-21 02:19:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/894653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Brent and Jonny get a call in the middle of the night from someone they didn't think they'd ever hear from, about something they always feared they'd hear about.</p>
            </blockquote>





	That Call

                They were older and they were wiser and they had two beautiful children when they got the call.

                The phone rang before the sun had even started shining through their windows, shattering the peaceful slumber that had graced the house. Immediately, Suzanne started to cry and Bryan’s wails echoed from his room and from the baby monitor beside Brent’s head. The phone continued to ring and ring as Brent and Jonny continued to not answer it, hoping whoever it was would give up but the caller didn’t and, finally, Jonny got fed up with the noise. “Ugh,” he groaned, rolling over and reaching for the phone. “Hullo?” he said sharply. He head cocked to the side when he heard the voice on the other end. “Duncs.” It wasn’t a question, it was a statement and Brent gave him a questioning look—Duncs was actually calling _them_? Like, “Duncan Keith” Duncs?—and Jonny nodded. “Duncs,” he whispered, tucking the phone between his ear and his shoulder. “Why the fuck d’you call me?”

                Brent didn’t stay to hear Duncs’ answer. Instead, he heaved himself out of bed and went to comfort his crying children. His first stop was Suzanne’s room. Thirty seconds of back rubbing, a kiss on the forehead, and a murmur of “Don’t cry little girl. Daddy’s here, nothing’s ever gonna hurt you when Daddy’s here” were all it took to subdue his daughter. He then crossed the hall to the room where his son was still crying to beat the band. “Oh, baby boy, it’s okay, your Daddy’s here now, Daddy’s got you.” Brent babbled to Bryan, lifting him out of his crib and tucking him into his hip as he swayed back and forth, trying to calm the baby’s frazzled nerves.

                Brent stepped out into the hallway intent on taking Bryan to his Papa but then from the master bedroom, he heard Jonny shout, “Why’d you call me?” again. “The phone just rang at two a.m.,” Jonny continued, still shouting. “Both my kids woke up. Duncs, do you know how hard it is to get two kids to sleep when they’re both under the age of six?” Jonny listened for a moment and then his voice went suddenly soft, “Oh, fuck. Are you sure?” A beat of silence. “But they’re…?” Another beat. “And he’s…?” Another. “And you’re _sure_.” Another. “Alright. Yes. Yeah. Thanks, Duncs.”

                Bryan had stopped crying, so Brent lay him down again, turning the CD of baby lullabies on low. He stepped into his own bedroom, where Jonny was sitting ramrod straight in bed, the phone still in his hands, even though the screen read “CALL ENDED”.

                “Jonny?” Brent murmured. Jonny put the phone down in its cradle, a look Brent couldn’t quite decipher on his face. “What’s wrong, baby?”

                He swallowed thickly, “Kaner OD’ed.” He blinked hard, like it was something he had to remember to do, “Again.”

                Brent put a hand to his mouth, “Oh no.”

                “Duncs found him. He’s kinda messed up about it, but I guess I can see why.”

                “And Pat…?” Brent whispered, almost afraid to ask.

                Jonny shook his head, “He’s dead.” He laughed as tears pooled up in his eyes, a stunned, shocked little laugh. “He’s dead. Patrick’s dead.”

                “Oh, _God_. _Jonny_. I’m sorry. I’m so _so_ sorry.” Brent pulled his husband in so that Jonny’s head was against Brent’s heart while he cried for his dead.


End file.
